Randy M., that sounds right up my alley. Found a good used (cheap) copy at Amazon.

I just finished The Odds by Stewart O'Nan (one of my favorite writers). In this story, a couple who are about to divorce spend a weekend at Niagara Falls, reliving their honeymoon. They've been married 30 years and both consider the marriage to be a failure. Plus, they've both lost their jobs and their house is in foreclosure. She agreed to the weekend as a last "gift" to her husband before the divorce, and he planned the trip in an attempt to make her fall in love with him again. They've also cashed in their remaining assets and plan on blowing it all at the roulette table, using a system the husband thinks will guarantee winning.

It's a perfect story of marriage, how people get to know each other really well but still don't understand each other. I liked it a lot.

Randy M., you're a more perceptive reader than I am, and I have a couple of questions about The Snowman's Children. I'll box them.

Spoiler:

Were we being led to believe that Theresa's father was The Snowman? Did The Snowman really have Theresa? It wasn't clear how long she'd been missing, and she could have been hiding in Barbara's house, couldn't she?

I really liked the book, but at the end, I felt like I'd missed something important.

I just finished a re-read of Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. If you've only seen the movie, forget what you saw and read the book. As is typical of movies from books, the screen version stinks and lacks the emotional impact the book creates, which is necessary to the storytelling.

But my main recommendation is Lalita Tademy's Cane River. Normally I avoid anything even remotely associated with Oprah, but in this case her book club made a really good pick. I got a copy as a gift and really enjoyed it. The way the four generations of women in the story overcome the horrific defeats of their youth and the punishments of slavery is uplifting and makes you feel like the human spirit can overcome all things. It's a blend of fact and fiction, but a really good read.

I'm having a good time with my first Carl Hiaasen book: Stormy Weather. A hurricane in Florida brings out the woodwork a crazy collection of crooks and lowlifes. The stoned eco warrior - Captain Skink - is my favorite by far.

Another crazy romp I've started is also about collection of kooky characters, set in New Orleans : A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This one won the Pulitzer, whaddaya know .

I'm having a good time with my first Carl Hiaasen book: Stormy Weather. A hurricane in Florida brings out the woodwork a crazy collection of crooks and lowlifes. The stoned eco warrior - Captain Skink - is my favorite by far.

Agreed - I have that one on my shelf. You usually can't go wrong with Carl Hiassen for fun and humour - Skin Tight's also very good.

I've just finished "The Psychopath Test" by Jon Ronson. All too plausibly, it examines the possibility that the world we live in is run and dominated by psychopaths, and looks at how to detect them. Alternately chilling and hilarious.

It's been a long time but I'm doing my first re-read of McMurtry's classic western Lonesome Dove. I'd have to say it's one of my favourite non-fantasy genre books; with some of the most memorable characters I've come across.

After a week or so I'm only 1/3 of the way though this 365,000 word book; it's going to take a while though!

finished two great oldies:
- Shoot the Piano Player by David Goodis - my first book by the author and a great noir. I'm re-watching Tirez sur le Pianiste by Truffaut now in order to spot the differences.
- The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo : the Martin Beck series is quickly becoming my favorite police procedural fix.

Still reading A Confederacy of Dunces : a masterpiece, but I somehow don't have the urge to read more than a few pages a day

The Sealed Letter – Emma Donoghue -- historical fiction based on a scandalous divorce case in the UK in the 1800's.

Prisoners of Twilight – Don Robertson -- the last few days of the US Civil War.

Cranford – Elizabeth Gaskell - life in an English village in the 1800's, spinsters and widows, getting along very well without men, thankyouverymuch. This was charming and funny. After reading it, I watched the miniseries -- very well done. I love Gaskell.

Damsel in Distress – PG Wodehouse -- my first Wodehouse, enjoyed it very much. Went looking to see if there's been a movie and there is, but from the IMDB description, it's a very loose adaptation, with George Burns and Gracie Allen.

Of Human Bondage – W. Somerset Maugham -- adore this book and will probably read it again. Bought the DVD but returned it. Apparently this movie hasn't been remastered -- it was unwatchable. There's a version on YouTube that's a bit better, and I might watch that.

Sweet Water -- Christina Baker Kline -- a young woman living in NYC inherits a house and land from her grandfather, who she never knew. She uncovers a family mystery.

I'm mostly reading short stories, both classic and contemporary. The lastest Pen O. Henry 2012 collection seems particularly good IMO. The standout stories for me are Kindness by Yiyuh Li and A Birth in the Woods which could be fantasy/horror http://www.amazon.com/The-Henry-Priz...6838724&sr=8-1